There are a handful of movies I can watch again and again – Pretty in Pink, The Holiday, Away We Go, Kissing Jessica Stein and now I have a new one to add… The Way, Way Back.

While in Boston yesterday, I decided to indulge in one of my favorite Sunday afternoon city activities. That’s right, an afternoon movie at Kendall Square Theatre. And aren’t I glad I did. This film, featuring some of my favorite actors (Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Amanda Peet, Maya Rudolph and Allison Janey) tells the story of Duncan (played by Liam James), who is just trying to find his way after his parents divorce, a feeling many of us can relate to, I’m sure.

The setting for the movie is a small Cape Cod town, Wareham to be precise. While I could go on and on about the expert script written by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, the heart-wrenching relationship between mother and son, and the introduction of one of the funniest characters written in quite some time, Owen (played by Sam Rockwell), I will just say, you must go see this film. And as an added bonus, the soundtrack is brilliant and features one of my old favorites, Edie Brickell. Take a listen.

The Way, Way Back has my vote for best movie of the summer, hands down!

What a festival! I always love walking around and feeling the buzz of creative and artistic minds on this little island. As I mentioned in last week’s post, the Nantucket Film Festival kicked off last Wednesday and ended today with the ”Audience Award” viewing of Life According to Sam and “Best of Fest” Twenty Feet from Stardom.

In total, I saw four films and I loved 3 out of 4. Not bad. I started out with Blood Brother on Wednesday night. This film tells the heartbreaking and inspiring story of Rocky Braat, a 20-something Pittsburgh male who leaves the states in search of self in India. During his early travels, he visited a center that served as an orphanage, refuge, school and care center for children with HIV. At this center, Rocky found home. The faces of the children will stay with you long after the film. A must see, in my book!

Next up Some Girl(s). I so wanted to love this film. And I so didn’t. The main character, played by Adam Brody, is never introduced to the audience by name, which I guess in the end is a good thing because he truly is one of the least likable characters I have seen in a film in a while. And the funny thing is, he isn’t suppose to be the bad guy. The film is about an author who is about to get married so he embarks on a nationwide tour to meet with some of his ex’s who he feels he still has some unresolved issues with. But these encounters, all in hotel rooms (strange) turn out to leave the women with even more unanswered questions. If you want to see a movie that will make you loathe the idea of relationships or that people can grown and change, I guess I would recommend this to you.

Since I clearly needed a cocktail after Thursday’s movie, Friday’s choice was perfect… Drinking Buddies. Loved, loved, loved this film. And I promise it wasn’t just because my all-time favorite guy, Jake Johnson (Nick Miller – New Girl) starred in it. It was just a feel good movie that made me realize that good guys do in-fact exist. And much of the film takes place at a brewery… win/win. Looking for a light-hearted movie to watch with that special guy in your life, rent this!

And lastly, I closed out my NFF 18 viewing experience with A.C.O.D (A Child of Divorce). And since I am a child of divorce, I found this film to be hysterical. And if you love Parks and Rec, you will be happy to know that both Adam Scott and Amy Poehler star in this film. Another must!

Now don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year’s festival – June 25-30, 2014. My countdown has already begun!

And just like that everything changes. This film by Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona retells the truly impossible story of a family spending their Christmas holiday in Khao Lak, Thailand, a resort town devastated by the tsunami of 2004 that affected 14 countries and killed nearly a quarter million people. Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor are flawless. The story unimaginable but true. The lesson simple… life sometimes is a beautiful mystery. We don’t know why tragedy occurs but we do know to act with kindness and grace. Always lend a helping hand if you can. See this movie. It is one that will stay with you always, I am quite certain!

There is just something about this film that resonates with me. I first saw Liberal Arts, written by, directed by and starring Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother fame, at last year’s Nantucket Film Festival, a favorite island event. The story addresses the underlying tension between young and old, fiction and reality, innocence and experience. Jesse, a 35 year-old college admissions officer in New York City, returns to his alma mater in a small Ohio town to attend his favorite professor’s retirement party. While there, Jesse is introduced to Zibby, a 19-year old bright-eyed sophomore, played by Elizabeth Olsen, whose zest for life awakens Jesse, a man who loses himself in books to combat his loneliness.

The film opens with a simple quote from Ecclesiastes: “He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.” Jesse is proof of this. Life’s answers aren’t found on the pages of books but rather in experiences. And thus Zibby, the youngest, becomes the heroine of this beautiful film through her simple life tenet, an improv rule: say yes to everything. Never stop exploring. And maybe it is this that keeps drawing me back to this delightful film. So, here’s to the journey and to my favorite line “Nobody feels like an adult. It’s the world’s dirty secret.”